To gain a better understanding of this battle in particular, it is important to be familiar with the events leading up to it. According to The Encyclopedia of American Studies, in the summer of 1775 Major General George Washington took command of the American militia shortly after a decisive battle at Bunker Hill. Throughout the rest of 1776, the British landed several decisive blows against Washington and his troops. The Redcoats defeated Washington in the Battle of Long Island, took control of New York City, won another battle at White Plains, and forced the Americans to abandon their garrisons at Forts Washington and Lee. By the turn of the year, however, Washington had defeated the Hessians (German soldiers hired by the British) at the Battle of Trenton, and was also victorious at Princeton. Then came the Philadelphia Campaign. After being out-maneuvered by the British at the Battle of Brandywine, and a demoralizing rainout at the Battle of the Clouds, the American troops were in need of a victory. Instead, they were massacred by the British.
By the morning of September 20, 1777, one would have thought that General Washington’s army was in a great strategic position. His troops were camped across the Schuylkill River, preventing the British from taking the capital of Philadelphia, and his other generals were beginning to surround the enemy. As stated by Captain von Munchhausen in Thomas J. McGuire’s book, The Battle of Paoli, “(Washington) has detached 4,000 men to this side of the Schuylkill, 2,000 of whom are on our left flank and 2,000 are close behind us, under the command of General (Anthony) Wayne.” Assuming that the British were unaware of his troops’ positions, Washington was hoping to have General Anthony Wayne attack them from behind. Clearly, based on Captain von Munchhausen’s statement, the British knew exactly what the Americans were up to. This would prove to be the downfall of General Wayne’s troops at Paoli.
